Karabakh cease-fire unbroken for 2 days after Azerbaijani activities last week

ANKARA

No cease-fire violations in Karabakh were recorded in the past two days as Armenian groups began to lay down their arms after Azerbaijan's successful anti-terror activities in the region last week, according to a joint Turkish-Russian center monitoring the cease-fire.

Last week, in the wake of provocations by Armenian armed groups in Karabakh, Azerbaijan said it had launched "counter-terrorism activities" in the region to uphold a 2020 trilateral peace agreement with Russia and Armenia. After 24 hours, a cease-fire was reached in the region.

Established to monitor and observe the cease-fire in Karabakh, the Turkish-Russian Joint Observation Center has continued its activities since Jan. 30, 2021.

The center has been operating with the regulation signed between Türkiye and Russia after the Second Karabakh War, which resulted in the victory of Azerbaijan.

The center, which is working to establish peace and stability in the region, identifies violations using its own reconnaissance and surveillance equipment, including drones, and monitors violation reports from both sides.

Violations detected by the Azerbaijan-Turkish Joint Center Command are also reported.

In this context, the joint Turkish-Russian center said that there were no cease-fire violations on Sept. 25-26.

Relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia have been tense since 1991, when the Armenian military occupied Nagorno-Karabakh, a territory internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan, and seven adjacent regions.

In the fall of 2020, Azerbaijan liberated several cities, villages and settlements from Armenian occupation during 44 days of clashes. The war ended that November with a Russia-brokered cease-fire.

Tensions between the two nations, however, continue despite ongoing talks aiming for a long-term peace deal.

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan are set to meet on Oct. 5 in the Spanish city of Granada to discuss the signing of a peace treaty between the two countries.

*Writing by Seda Sevencan